"The 2-1-1 Call Center will be a critical component of effective disaster response," said Cathy Tisdale, CEO of the Red Cross. "Having live operators available for fire season is an absolutely essential step in the development of 2-1-1."
The 2-1-1 call center can be initiated on two hours notice during State Emergency Operation Center activation, and will be managed by trained reservists and volunteers. During non-emergency times people who dial 2-1-1 will hear recorded messages regarding fire season emergency preparedness.